Ryer named to community service team

Nov. 7, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Senior Taylor Ryer was named to the Southeastern Conference’s Soccer Community Service Team, the league announced today.

The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all 20 league sponsored sports. The Community Service Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts.

Ryer has volunteered at a variety of places in her four years at Vanderbilt. The New Hampshire native worked with Kids Zone (athletes with inner city kids from Nashville), Habitat for Humanity and also volunteered on a research study at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. She also participated in the Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee and has donated items to the local Ronald McDonald House. Ryer also volunteered at VU soccer camps over the years and participated in the Soccer for a Cure initiative with the Commodores.

Ryer, a SEC Academic Honor Roll member the last two years, will gradiuate with a degree in Human and Organizational Development in the spring.

“Taylor is a hard working, kind hearted and generous young woman,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Coveleskie. “She is diligent and will achieve every goal she sets for herself in the future. We are very fortunate to have had her as part of our soccer program for four years.”

The rest of the sixth annual women’s soccer Community Service Team follows:

Jackie Booker, Goalkeeper, Arkansas
Booker is a member of he University of Arkansas’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She is also a member of Gamma Beta Phi and the Golden Key International Honor Society. Booker stays active in the community by participating in Read Across America (reading to local elementary schools), Champs League (sports organization for children with various disabilities), Sweat Hawgs (participation in local PE classes) and Senior Center Valentines Day (visit to a local senior community center). She has also gone on a mission trip to Honduras as a part of Arkansas Athlete Outreach, set up for the Walk for Juvenile Diabetes and walked in the March of Dimes.

Allison Whitworth, Goalkeeper, Auburn
Auburn Soccer Food Bank; Walk For A Cure (juvenile diabetes); Cardinal Key Fall Festival; Habitat for Humanity; Read Across America; Auburn athletics representative at the Elementary Children’s Field Day; Auburn Annual Clothing Drive; Auburn Soccer Women’s Shelter Collection; Auburn Soccer Beat Bama Food Drive; United States Coast Guard Auxiliary – Eagle Detachment; FCA Student Leadership Team.

Jenny Taylor, Forward/Midfielder, Florida
Has participated in more than 20 hours of community service for the Goodwill Gators program. Activities include the Climb 4 Cancer Sports Camp, a day which Gator student-athletes participate in a day of games and activities with pediatric cancer patients. Taylor has participated in an Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk and helped with a Habitat for Humanity build. She has delivered shoes to Gainesville elementary school students as part of the UF Athletic Association’s Gator Tracks – a program that fills requests for needed shoes around the holiday season.

Courtney Cripps, Goalkeeper, Georgia
Cripps is involved with UGA H.E.R.O., (Hearts Everywhere Reaching Out) a student organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of children infected with and by HIV/AIDS in Georgia. She is also involved with the H.E.R.O. group in Atlanta. She also visits patients at St. Mary’s hospital in Athens and has volunteered at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Cripps has also mentored at the Thomas Lay Youth Center.

Cassie Phillips, Midfielder/Forward, Kentucky
Phillips spent the better part of her summer working at a camp with kids with Muscular Dystrophy.

Rachel Yepez, Forward, LSU
An active member of the Baton Rouge community who has participated in a number of projects, including Operation Take Back: Fight Against Crime in Baton Rouge, the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Strides and Rides event to help raise money in the fight against the disease, and the United Way’s Day of Caring where she volunteered at a BREC dance party for senior citizens. She has participated in projects on LSU’s campus, such as the annual Halloween BOOzar by playing games and signing autographs for local kids, and the annual Christmas Toy Drive where she helped shop for clothes and toys for an underprivileged child adopted by the soccer team. In addition, she is a frequent visitor to Southside Baptist Preschool and Desire Street Academy, where she helps tutor and read to kids.

Jennifer Hance, Midfielder/Forward, Ole Miss
Helped lead the Spring Service Project with local elementary students, which included tours of campus and an afternoon-long mini-camp of athletic drills and field-day type activities. A regular participant in “Reading with the Rebels” with area students. Has also been involved with the SEC Canned Food Drive and the Big Brother/Big Sister program and volunteer coaching in basketball and soccer.

Anna Goblirsch, Midfielder, Mississippi State
President of the MSU M-Club this year after heading the organization’s public relations last year. Participated in Bully’s Book Blitz, going to elementary schools and reading with fourth graders. Helped organize a pep rally to get students interested in the Book Blitz. Assisted with a Halloween Carnival booth that had games and autographs with MState athletes. Helped in the Thanksgiving Food Drive which raises food to stock the Starkville Food Pantry and provides a Thanksgiving meal to 10-15 needy families. Participated in Take A Kid To The Game Day and trash pick-ups around the MSU campus. Helped organize the SEC Can Food Drive on campus.

Lindsay Small, Midfielder, South Carolina
Participated in Habitat for Humanity, helping paint area homes. Volunteered at Harvest Hope Food Bank and the Ronald McDonald House for charity. Guest speaker at Lexington middle schools for health, athletics and education. Volunteered at area youth soccer clubs to teach kids basic soccer fundamentals. Volunteered at the 2008 EdVenture HalloWonka for kids at the South Carolina State Museum.

Molly Baird, Goalkeeper, Tennessee
Baird worked to organize and publicize the SAAC Canned Food Drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank on UT’s campus. She also helped publicize the Holiday Dinner for Homeless at Christmas time. She also visits at the Children’s Hospital with the UT Soccer Team and volunteered for free children’s soccer clinics.. She has worked with Fellowship of Christian Athletes/Athletes in Action to provide Christmas presents for underprivileged children in the Knoxville area. She reads to Children with the UT soccer team to promote reading among youth and has volunteered at an elementary school with the weight room staff to promote healthy lifestyles in students.